THE ROLLER.—SHEEP INQUIRIES. 
139 
coli. Blight, mould, and lice, and other insects, are 
sure to attack these vegetables when planted too 
thick; they must have room to pasture their roots in 
the earth below, and to breathe fresh air in their 
lungs (the leaves) above, or they will become sick, 
diseased, and die. There can be no rule for dis¬ 
tances—the farmer must be his own judge in these 
matters. Dwarf Canada corn may be planted for a 
crop of grain two feet apart, while the tall Virginia 
must stand at least four. The plants of the delicate 
little Savoy cabbage may be within a foot of each 
other, while the large Bergen is crowded if it has not 
two feet each way to stretch its burly proportions. 
THE ROLLER. 
Fig. 36. 
It is surprising that so little attention is paid to the 
use of so serviceable an implement as the roller. It 
tends to bind a sandy soil, arid finely pulverizes the 
lumps of that of the most adhesive clay. In passing 
it over recent sown crops, it has a tendency to keep 
out insects, especially from the turnip crop, as it 
binds the surface so close that they are not likely to 
penetrate it. It should always be used after seeding 
down meadows, as it leaves a much smoother and 
more level surface for the scythe and rake to pass 
over. It would be well to pass it over meadows 
every spring, in order to roll down any upheavings 
from the frost or poaching of the cattle. 
A roller may be made in the most simple manner, 
from a smooth round white-oak log, 20 to 30 inches 
diameter. Saw off the ends perpendicular with the 
surface of the log, and then insert iron gudgeons of 
about an inch and a half or two inches diameter, and 
for these to roll in, make a square frame of 4 by 6 
inch stuff, boring holes to fit the gudgeons in the side 
pieces. These are held together by cross pieces, one 
of which is placed immediately before and the other 
directly behind the roller. When the roller is made 
of only one piece, it is hard turning it round at the 
end of the field; it should therefore be in two dis¬ 
tinct cylinders, as shown in the cut. In turning, one 
then roils back, while the other moves forward. 
Three cylinders we have found still better than two, 
and easier to wheel round. Rollers are usually made 
in this city of cast iron, two to three feet in diame¬ 
ter, or like the drums for belts to run on to move 
machinery; that is, narrow segments of wood are 
fastened on to iron circles. These are much the neat¬ 
est, and they last a long time. They cost from $20 
to $40, dependent on their size and the finish bestow¬ 
ed on them. Four to five feet is the most convenient 
length, though some make them six to eight. A. box 
is attached to the frame, either over or behind the 
roller, into which weights are thrown for t le purpose 
of tempering the pressure, as more or less is required 
according to the facility of crushing 4 he clods and 
pulverizing the soil. The ground should always be 
dry when the roller is used, especially in a soil where 
there is the slightest admixture of clay, otherwise it 
would so bind the ground together that the crop 
would find it difficult to shoot up through the surface 
after germinating. 
SHEEP INQUIRIES. 
We believe it will be acknowledged that no agri¬ 
cultural journal of the day has gathered together, 
through the favor of its correspondents, so numerous 
and valuable a series of articles on sheep husbandry 
as can be found in the volumes of the Agriculturist. 
These have been widely copied, and read with inter¬ 
est, and as we are pleased to learn, have effected 
much good. We wish to pursue this subject still 
further; and that we may be able to obtain the most 
reliable information, we earnestly request particular 
answers to as many of the following inquiries as our 
readers can answer satisfactorily after shearing their 
present crop of wool. It is desired that no mixed or 
grade animal of any description be included in those 
upon which answers are predicated. 
1. How many sheep have you of an improved, 
definite , pure breed? What breed is it? Specify 
this, and from what English, Spanish, Saxon, or 
other foreign flock it was derived ; the time when it 
! was taken from it, and the characteristics of the breed 
at that time. 
2. What has been the change in the sheep since 
imported ? How have they been managed and bred, 
and what is their precise present character ? 
3. What is the present mode of feeding as to 
quantity and kinds of hay, grass, roots, grain, &c. ? 
4. At what age do the ewes and rams breed ? and 
how many Jambs are averaged to the whole breeding 
ewes annually ? What is the management with 
breeding ewes and rams, and the lambs ? 
5. What is the average dead and live weight of 
ewes, wethers, and rams; also of lambs at 3, 6, 9, 
and 12 months old? What is the price and weight of 
the mutton and the tallow by themselves, and average 
weight and largest weight of the whole sheep ? In 
what respects does the quality differ from other mut¬ 
ton ? What is the value of the pelts? 
6. What was the average weight of fleece at the 
last or any shearing, washed or unwashed ? What 
was the mode of washing ? Specify the number of 
rams, ewes, wethers, and shorn Jambs, that made up 
the flock, or give weight of each class by themselves. 
Specify the number of lambs fought up last season 
by the ewes, and mode of feeding the flock for the 
year preceding shearing. 
7. What was the average price of the wool taken 
from the pure flock (minutiae are not objectionable), 
and where was it sold ? 
8. What is the average consumption of pure breed 
sheep (specifying the breed) in comparison with any 
other breeds you know ? 
9. What diseases are most prevalent among your 
flocks, and what are the remedies for the same ? 
* £ 
